Mechanical toy whale



Aug, 18, 1953 F. K. NAGEL 2,648,935

MECHANICAL TOY WHALE Filed July 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l By w Attorney Aug. 18, 1953 F. K. NAGEL ,9

' MECHANICAL TOY WHALE Filed July 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Attorney Patented Aug. 18, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL TOY WHALE Frank K. Nagel, Bayville, N. Y.

Application July 28, 1950, Serial No. 176,489 (01. 4692) 1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a mechanical toy whale and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there'is provided a toy whale havin a hollow body which may be formed of wood, plastic material or the like and which is provided with a cover, the body and cover together resembling the body and head of a whale. To the rear end of the body there is afiixed by cementing or other suitable means a tail formed of thin leather or other flexible material. Within the body there is mounted a clockwork motor of conventional character which operates a rocker arm which extends rearwardly through a passage in the underside of the cover and thence downwardly into the tail wherein it is embedded. When the motor is wound and the device placed in water, a sculling action is imparted to the tail to thereby move the whale through the water in a natural manner.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and yet effective and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy whale having novel means for propelling the same through water.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, a novel drive means for a tail forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the followin specification taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the cover forming a part of the invention removed therefrom,

Figure 5 is a rear elevational View of the dev1ce,

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 of Figure 1, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a motor and rocker arm forming a part of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a mechanical toy whale having a body I!) formed of wood or the like and having a hollow portion 4 l therein. A cover I2 is removably mounted upon the body and the body and cover are so shaped as to present a continuous surface and to resemble the body and head of a whale. Eyes l3 and mouth l4 may be painted or otherwise depicted upon the forward end of the body Ill to heighten such appearance. To assist in maintaining the cover 12 in proper position upon the body It, the body is provided with a series of dowels l 5 which extend upwardly from its upper side and which are receivable in openings formed in the underside of the cover I2.

A clockwork motor of conventional character is mounted within a casing l6 which is provided with outwardly extending feet I! at either side thereof at its lower end and screws l8 extend through such feet I? and thence through spacer members l9 and into the bottom of the hollow portion I I of the body to maintain the casing rigidly therein.

The motor is provided with a spring 23 and a winding shaft 2| which extends upwardly through an opening 22 provided in the cover I 2.

The ultimate shaft 24 of the motor extends through the top of the casing l5 and terminates in a crank 25.

An actuating arm 26 is revolubly mounted at its forward end upon the upwardly projecting portion of a shaft 21 of the motor and is provided with a centrally disposed longitudinal slot 28 extending through the larger portion of the rear half thereof. A relatively small opening 29 is provided in the arm 26 immediately adjacent the rear extremity of the arm 26 which extends slightly rearwardly over the rear end of the casing I6.

The crank 25 extends into the slot 28. An ear 29a extends centrally upwardly from the rear of the bottom of the casing and is provided with an opening 30.

A longitudinally extending pin 31 is revolubly mounted in the opening 30 and has integrally formed therewith an upwardly extending oscillating arm 32 which extends through the opening 29 and which has formed integrally therewith a rearwardly and downwardly extending rocker arm 33 which is embedded in the folds of a tail 34 formed of leather, rubber or other flexible material and preferably waterproof material.

A passageway 35 is formed longitudinally in the rear underside of the cover l2 and accommodates the rocker arm 33 and is of such width as to allow the movements imparted to such arm by the motor. The forward portions of the tail 34 3 are cemented or otherwise afiixed to opposite sides of the rear end of the body III, as indicated at 36 and a key 31 is provided for winding the motor and is removably connectible with the shaft 2| in conventional manner.

In operation it Will be apparent that the key 31 may be engaged upon the shaft 2| and the motor then wound therewith in conventional manner and that the toy may then be placed in water'"wher eupon the oscillatory motion of the arm 32 will cause a sculling motion to be imparted to the arm 33 and its attached tail 3 4 to thus propel the toy through the water in a lifelike manner.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claim.

" What is claimed is:

A device of the character described comprising a hollow body, a cover removably mounted upon the body, a tail formed of flexible material and aflixed to the rear of said body, a motor mounted within the body, a housing for said motor, a rocker arm embedded within the tail, and means interconnecting said rocker arm and motor whereby a sculling motion is imparted to said tail, said means including a lever having a slot formed in the rear portion thereof and pivoted at its forward end to said housing, a shaft revoluble by said motor, a crank formed in said shaft and extending through said slot, said lever having an opening adjagent athe firee end thereof, and an oscillating arm pivoted to said housing and extending through said opening, and having integral connection With said rocker arm, and said rocker arm extending rearwardly and downwardly in said tail.

" FRANK K. NAGEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

